To Be Loved By You
by juzAgirl
Summary: REPOST and FINISHED: just had to post this thing again, this was my first ever story on ff.net...it's the condensed version...beware!


To Be Loved By You By: juzAgirl  
  
*"~" this indicates a flashback.*  
  
Disclaimer: SD belongs to Takehiko Inuoe or otherwise known as Dr. T (I read that somewhere).but it will soon belong to me! HAHAHAHA! Not!  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Miyagi Ryota stared at Ayako's back and let out a sigh.  
  
"God, you're so beautiful."  
  
Ayako looked back at Miyagi and shook her head. She rolled her eyes and gave an annoyed "Hn."  
  
The point guard let out a small laugh and flung his arm around Ayako's shoulders. Ayako raised her eyebrow and shrugged his arm off. She walked faster and kept her eyes straight.  
  
"Don't kid around Ryota. It's not funny. C'mon it's late. I need to get home. My mom's probably waiting for me. You should get home yourself."  
  
Miyagi laughed again and ran up to catch up with Ayako.  
  
"I'm not, Aya-chan. I know it's true. You know it's true. Heck! Even the whole Shohoku team knows it's true. You are beautiful, the most beautiful girl that I've ever seen."  
  
Miyagi watched Ayako's reaction and wanted to say something else but dismissed the idea. She seemed really pissed off, with her mouth forming a tiny pout.  
  
"Yare, yare. I'll shut up now."  
  
"You did really well at today's game," Ayako said, changing the topic.  
  
Miyagi beamed and puffed up his chest a little just to show Ayako that it was nothing, although he had to use his ability to its extent. That game with Shoyo drained him but one cheer from Ayako gave him all the strength he needed. When he heard her voice, it seemed as if a glow of energy entered his body. That's what she did to him. She gave him life.  
  
"Don't be too cheeky Ryota," Ayako laughed, swatting Miyagi's head playfully.  
  
But he caught her hand before she hit him for the second time, pulling her close.really close. He could feel her arm grow stiff at his impulsive action. He looked her straight into the eye and poured out everything he felt. She stood there, temporarily shocked. Then out of nowhere, that ridiculously large paper fan came crashing with Miyagi's head.  
  
"Ow," he cried out, rubbing his head.  
  
"This is it. I'm home. Thanks for walking with me.Miyagi Ryota.good night," Ayako hurriedly said before she closed the gates behind her.  
  
"Night my beautiful one." ***  
  
"Pass it to me Ryochin!" Sakuragi yelled over.  
  
Miyagi glanced over at the redhead and gave a sneer. No way would he pass to Hanamichi. He dribbled the ball three more times before passing it to Mitsui. The senior then positioned himself on the three-point line and then made the shot and of course, the ball went in. Mitsui went over to the shorter player and gave him a high five.  
  
"Oi Ryochin! Why didn't you pass to me?!" Sakuragi asked, towering over the two. His face was really red.  
  
"Coz you would've ruined the chance at a shot," both Miyagi and Mitsui said at the same time. Then they laughed at the now very angered Sakuragi.  
  
"Do aho," Rukawa said, passing by the group.  
  
"Kitsune!!!"  
  
Then Akagi's fist collided with Sakuragi's very hard head.  
  
"Gori! What did you do that for?!"  
  
"The next game will be against Ryonan and it will be next week. Everyone must train harder. It's our chance at the championships," Akagi said, ignoring the fuming Sakuragi.  
  
"Don't worry sempai! We'll beat them!" Miyagi hollered.  
  
"That's the spirit," Ayako commented, giving out her smile.  
  
Miyagi smiled back.  
  
'One point for no. 7! Hehe!' Miyagi thought to himself. ***  
  
Ayako closed the door behind her and let out a big sigh. Miyagi had walked her home again. She took a peek through the window, just to make sure if he was still standing there. Just like yesterday, he was there, a goofy grin pasted firmly on his face.  
  
Ayako smiled. Then she shook her head.  
  
"C'mon Ayako. You're better than that. You know he's just joking around."  
  
But something inside her tugged at her heart. Somehow, she really wished that he was for real. Somehow, she wanted to tell herself that it was okay to love him. But she wasn't going to risk her heart one more time.  
  
~ "But I thought you love me."  
  
"I did but I don't now. I'm tired of being tied down by a commitment."  
  
"Shouji."  
  
"Ayako, I'm sorry okay but I have to go."  
  
"Aishiteru Shouji-kun!"  
  
But the young guy only waved his hand and left. Ayako stood perfectly still, letting the pain seep in. She couldn't believe it. The only person she ever truly loved left her. She was so stupid to have given her heart away. But she won't be ever again. ~  
  
"I'm sorry Ryota. I can't love you.I can't let my heart be broken again. Not now when I'm almost over everything that has to do with love." She said this to keep her sanity but even though she made this her shield against pain, she felt her heart break at her very words. She rushed up to her room and changed quickly. After washing up, she climbed onto her bed but sleep wasn't visiting her.  
  
She kept thinking of Miyagi. Was she really falling for his cheeky ways and stupidly cute grin? She couldn't help but laugh at the thought. When he got into fights, she was always the one who felt scared for him. She felt this weird sensation whenever their fingers touch or when he holds her hand. And those eyes.whenever he looks at her, she would feel a tingle run up her spine. But she always pushed those feelings away. She couldn't let her emotions get the best of her. She was smarter than that.  
  
But all that thinking finally took its toll. She slowly closed her eyes, falling into the arms of slumber. Yes, she wasn't going to fall for that guy.but inside, she knew she wanted to.even at least in her dreams.  
  
And then tomorrow, she'd be back to her old self again, the Shohoku team manager, the one who wasn't in love with Miyagi Ryota. ***  
  
Chapter 2  
  
He watched her with steady eyes. She moved so gracefully, just like a feather falling from the sky or a swan out on the lake. But she seemed more aloof now than yesterday.or any other day. It made him worried. Was he losing her? Ha! How could he lose someone he never had in the first place?  
  
He was kidding himself. She had other plans other than making him a part of her life. She had her own dreams and he.he was dreaming on a dying star.  
  
He sighed and turned around to face his duffel bag. He took out an envelope and looked at it carefully. Would he dare? He shook his head forcefully and sighed again.  
  
"Miyagi! Hurry up!"  
  
"Hai!"  
  
This was going to be one of those days when everything would go by in a blur and he would be caught in a large standstill wherein his mind would have only one thing.one person.Ayako. ***  
  
Ayako turned around just in time to see Miyagi put something back in his bag. She'd been wanting to take a peek at him and see what he was doing but she never got the nerve to do so until now. She knew he was looking at her and she didn't want him to catch her eyes. She felt a little funny now that he's so far from her. She was used to the feeling that he was always there.always near.  
  
Then Ayako heard a loud laugh coming from, who else, but none other than the 'tensai' himself, Sakuragi Hanamichi.  
  
"Hahaha! Ryochin, have you lost your magic touch? You look so lousy today! Your plays are awful! What happened to you?!"  
  
"Shut up Hanamichi!"  
  
He did look a little tired. Like he was worrying too much. Ayako wondered what it was about.  
  
Just then, Miyagi turned and their eyes met. Ayako wanted to look away but something in Miyagi's eyes pulled on her own. They stayed like that, staring at each other, not sure of anything.  
  
"Ayako? Ayako?"  
  
"Hmm?" Ayako faced Kogure and broke the enchantment that she and Miyagi shared.  
  
"I was asking if you have the statistics with you. Anzai-sensei was asking for them."  
  
"Hai, sempai. I'll go get them."  
  
And with that, Ayako went out of the gym, leaving a mesmerized point guard behind her. ***  
  
Miyagi tiptoed slowly across the halls of Shohoku High. He glanced to the right and nodded and then to the left. He was going to do this now. There was no turning back. It was now or never.  
  
He felt his knees weaken as he approached her locker. He wanted to turn back before he regretted this whole idea. But he knew if he never went through this, he'd never have the chance of knowing and that would be the biggest regret of his entire life. ***  
  
Ayako hummed towards the girls' locker room. The training finally ended and she was going to take a long and nice hot shower. Funny, she hasn't seen Miyagi much since she left the gym a while ago. He wasn't in the gym when they had their team meeting. Where could he be?  
  
Ayako turned the knobs on her locker and opened the blue colored door. Then, a thin blue envelope fell to her feet. It faintly smelled of flowers in bloom during springtime. She slowly picked it up and read the front side.  
  
'Aya-chan' was scrawled in a messy handwriting that she knew too well.it was Miyagi's.  
  
Slowly, with trembling hands, she opened the mysterious envelope. She caught her breath until she saw the paper inside. And with great hesitation, she took the paper out and read what was written inside.  
  
* To my beautiful one,  
  
I'm no Shakespeare when it comes to writing but I felt like this was the right thing to do.to write you about my feelings, about how you make me feel.  
  
It's not alien to you that I care for you but I know that it's something more than that. I guess.I know that I love you. You make me feel special like no one else can ever do. You make me feel like I'm the tallest person in the world, like I can do anything. With a smile, you push all my worries and my troubles away.  
  
I know you think I'm crazy and you think that I'm just doing this for fun but it's not like that. This is the one thing that I'm sure of, the one thing that I know is right about me. You are the only thing that's right about me. The world might not be perfect but you make it one.  
  
You don't know how many times I've tried to pull myself away from loving you, how many times I've tried to forget you, how many times I've tried to be over you, tried not to love you but every time I get the chance to forget, I find myself falling backwards and once again falling in love with you. I guess I've finally given up on forgetting because I know I won't be able to.not in a million years. Even if in this lifetime, I won't be able to be with you, I know that I'll still be searching for you in my lifetimes to come until our souls meet again.  
  
I know I won't be able to give you everything, but this is the one thing I'm sure that I can give until the Lord takes my last breath.my love for you. I loved you before I even knew what love was. I love you now. And I will love you forever. This is my only promise. And I am a man of my words.  
  
I'm not expecting anything, just wanted to let you know that this life of mine found its purpose in you.my only love.my beautiful one.  
  
Thank you for giving me my life.  
  
Miyagi Ryota *  
  
Ayako felt the tears in her eyes and she let the whole letter sink in. He loved her that much. There were other girls, more beautiful than her, smarter than her, more special than her.but he chose to love her. Was it worth it to take that step? Heck! Right now, she didn't really care.  
  
Without thinking it through, Ayako threw down her bag and ran outside with one reason on her mind.to find Miyagi Ryota. ***  
  
He made a clean shot of the basketball and went to retrieve the orange ball. He was so nervous that he felt like he was going to throw up. He ran back to the other side and positioned himself.  
  
"Ryota."  
  
Miyagi jumped as the familiar voice entered his mind. He lost his balance and fell to the ground.  
  
"Aya-chan," he whispered as her beautiful face filled his sight.  
  
She didn't say anything but instead she bent down and looked him straight in the eyes. Ayako was so close that Miyagi couldn't breathe well. He was frozen. Then she took out the notorious envelope, showing it to him.  
  
"What's this?" she asked, confidence was in her tone but her eyes told another story. She was scared out of her wits.  
  
He got tongue-tied. He just sat there, dumbfounded.  
  
"Well?"  
  
"I-I.uh.," Miyagi stammered.  
  
Ayako frowned and backed away. She turned and started to leave. She had to or else she would have lost control of herself.  
  
"Aishiteru!" he yelled out.  
  
Ayako turned back and saw Miyagi as his hand flew to his mouth. His cheeks were red and he was trying his best to stand still. He was shaking from head to toe. He bent his head down and hid his face from her.  
  
She walked back to the point guard and gathered up all of her courage. Ayako then placed her hand on his shoulder, surprising Miyagi.  
  
"Let's give it a try," she whispered, her voice so soft that he almost didn't hear it.  
  
At her words, his eyes grew wide with shock and happiness.  
  
He took her other hand and held it, afraid to let go.to find out that this was all a dream. But it wasn't. It was real and this was the first time he's ever felt like this.like he was the luckiest man in the entire world. ***  
  
The couple walked along the busy streets of Japan but they couldn't care less. They were with each other and everything was alright with the world.  
  
When they reached Ayako's house, Miyagi felt his world had stopped. He wanted to spend every minute with her.  
  
But then Ayako froze.  
  
"Is Ayako home?"  
  
"No, she's not. But she will be soon."  
  
She couldn't believe it. After almost two years, he was back.  
  
The young man at Ayako's door turned around and for the first time in a long while, their eyes met again.  
  
Miyagi noticed something and he felt his heart break. There was something in Ayako's eyes that made him scared. He was losing her and he knew it.  
  
"Shouji." ***  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Ayako stared at him as his gaze focused on her. Shouji gave out a sigh and flashed Ayako his signature smile. He knew that smile always made her crazy. He knew that he made her crazy.  
  
Ayako's breath caught and she followed Shouji's every move. She finally realized that he was making his way towards her. Then something held her hand. Something that she had forgotten momentarily.someone.  
  
Ayako whipped her head to the side to find Miyagi staring back at her. He was smiling sadly at her and she felt something prick her heart. If heartbreak ever had a face, this would be it, Miyagi's, the face that she was looking at. He knew what she was feeling at the moment even though she never told him about Shouji or her past. He knew because he understood her. He knew because he loves her.  
  
She started to speak but he put his hand up. Miyagi held up Ayako's hand, kissing it softly and then he sadly let it go.  
  
"Ja ne, Ayako san."  
  
Ayako san.he never called her that.  
  
"Ryota.," she whispered but it was too late. He was gone.  
  
"Aya-chan!"  
  
Shouji placed a hand on Ayako's shoulder and Ayako felt instantly cold. She shrugged the feeling away and pasted a smile on her face before facing her ex-boyfriend.  
  
"What brings you here?" she asked, not sure if she wanted to look into his eyes. She didn't want him to see the doubt and guilt in them.  
  
"Nothing.well, actually, I was looking for you."  
  
"What for?"  
  
"Um, I'd like to talk this over in a nice place. How about some coffee?" he offered, scratching his head then smiling once more.  
  
"Shouji-kun, you forgot. I don't like coffee."  
  
He laughed. "That's right! Then, what about some ice cream? Hot fudge sundae?"  
  
Ayako didn't want to talk but something forced her to comply. She nodded hesitantly. She dropped her bag inside the house and came out with her jacket. Then the two walked towards the nearest ice cream shop. ***  
  
"You're awfully quiet. Doesn't seem like you," Shouji said, spooning a large dollop of ice cream into his mouth.  
  
Ayako played with her sundae, not really listening. This day was really confusing her. First, there was the thing with Miyagi. She was telling the truth when she said she wanted to try things out with him. She liked him, that was a fact but did she like him enough? Then there's this with Shouji. She never expected him to call, much less show himself. And what did he want with her now?  
  
"Aya-chan. Hey! Are you here?"  
  
Ayako blinked and her thoughts popped. Her head was starting to hurt from all that thinking. With nothing else to do, she ate a spoonful of her sundae. The coldness of the dessert fought with the heat of her mouth.  
  
Something she never anticipated happened. Shouji reached out and touched her hand. Ayako dropped the spoon she held, shocked. Her eyes were wide as saucers and her heart began beating so fast that she could hardly breathe right.  
  
"Aya-chan."  
  
"Stop calling me that!"  
  
Shouji took his hand away, taken aback by Ayako's outburst.  
  
"What do you want with me anyway?"  
  
"Ayako, I.I just came by to see how you're doing."  
  
"So I should thank you then?! After two years Shouji?! You left me with nothing but a broken heart and now you're expecting me to act normally and say 'Hey! I'm fine. So how are you?'? You finally find the time to be concerned about me after two long years! How did you expect me to react?! I hope you didn't look forward on receiving a warm smile because I'm not planning on giving you one!" Ayako yelled out, rising up from her seat.  
  
People started staring at her but she didn't care. This guy had some nerve to even think of showing his face to her.  
  
"Look, these past few weeks I've been thinking. Well, I didn't want to but your face kept popping into my thoughts and you visit me every night, in my dreams. How am I supposed to feel? I was doing well, up until I realized that I was missing you, so much. I missed the way you'd cheer for me during my games. I missed the way you'd be there after a loss or a win. I missed the way you smiled and push my problems away. I miss you Ayako."  
  
Ayako gasped loudly. She didn't want to believe him. She didn't want to acknowledge her feelings but they were too much to hide. But she shook her head violently.  
  
"No! Don't do this."  
  
"You don't understand Ayako. I love you, after all this time, I still do!" he rushed out in one breath.  
  
Without another thought she walked away as fast as she could. Ayako was in a nightmare but she couldn't wake up. This nightmare was real.as real as her own tears.  
  
Shouji dropped a bill on the table and followed Ayako. They were in the parking lot and Shouji watched carefully for cars. There were none. Then he ran to Ayako's side, grabbing her arm and spinning her around. What met him was her hand. She slapped him, hard. His face hurt but he didn't care. He had to show her just how much he cared for her. She slapped him again but still he held her, with no intention of letting go.  
  
Then something pushed him to do something drastic.  
  
He pulled her slowly towards him and their lips met.  
  
Ayako's eyes grew wide before they eventually closed. Shouji held her there in an embrace. Void of any thought, she let him kiss her. And she kissed him back. Damn it! She lost control of herself.  
  
Then a familiar handsome face pierced through her mind. He smiled warmly and lovingly at her.his stud earring twinkling slightly. He raised his hand and waved playfully at her. Ryota.  
  
Ayako pushed Shouji away rather roughly.  
  
"We can't bring back what's been thrown away."  
  
"But we can give it a try, can't we?" Shouji asked.  
  
Ayako winced at the familiarity of Shouji's words. It wasn't so long ago that she'd uttered the same words to Miyagi, giving him hope. But she was worse than Shouji ever was. She killed Miyagi when she called out Shouji's name.  
  
"I can't."  
  
"It's him, isn't it? That guy you were with."  
  
Ayako raised her head to face Shouji and now, more than ever, she believed his words. Miyagi was important to her and she couldn't deny that. She felt something for Miyagi and that was something more than just friendship.  
  
Maybe she did love him.  
  
But she wasn't sure just yet.  
  
How can anyone be sure of anything.especially when it concerns matters of the heart?  
  
"I shouldn't have let you go."  
  
Ayako just stayed silent. There was something in Shouji's voice. Bitterness, maybe. Regret, perhaps. Love.none at all. Maybe he just didn't think he'd be turned down like this.  
  
He was always used to being the top guy at everything. He was used to always pushing her around and making her do everything he wanted but it was enough. She's had enough. Now, it was her turn to decide.to choose.  
  
And she knew just who her heart chose to love and that was a guy named Miyagi Ryota. ***  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Miyagi tied his shoes and ran to the center of the basketball court. He smacked his head with a hand and gave out a stressed laugh. He forgot the basketball. He ran back to the benches and looked for the orange ball.  
  
"Oi!"  
  
Miyagi looked up and saw the ball.in the hands of a stranger. The guy let the ball fall from his hands and Miyagi caught it with his own. He gave the guy a smile of appreciation and ran back to the court.  
  
"Oi!" the guy called out again, this time a little louder.  
  
Miyagi turned around and pasted a confused expression on his face. The guy stood there, a look of determination on his face. For a second, Miyagi blinked. The guy did look fairly familiar but he couldn't put his finger to it.  
  
"Are you Miyagi Ryota?"  
  
"Hai! What is it?" Miyagi asked, holding the basketball in mid-air.  
  
"Someone told me you were a good basketball player. How about a one-on-one game? Just me and you.," the guy challenged.  
  
A glint flashed in Miyagi's eyes and he smiled.  
  
Then the game started. ***  
  
Miyagi pushed past his opponent with stealth and familiarity. The guy did give him a hard time but he still got the better end of it all, after all he was a regular Shohoku player. The guy recovered immediately after Miyagi's excellent feint. He was fast, but Miyagi was faster. And Miyagi, hesitated a moment, but he still made a shot. Two more points were added to his score. He had a pretty good lead but this guy worried him.  
  
But what was to be worried about? This was just a game. Not the championships. The guy smirked as he held the ball, dribbling it towards the goal. Miyagi caught on and tried to intercept the ball, stealing it just in time. Again the ball was in Miyagi's hands.  
  
The guy charged towards him. Miyagi saw a flash of light run across his line of sight, and then he felt his stomach hurt.  
  
"What the hell?!" he yelled out, clutching his abdomen.  
  
He watched the guy. He smirked at Miyagi and then he gave a shrug. Miyagi stood up shakily.  
  
"That was a foul! Why'd you do that?" he asked, nearing the mysterious guy.  
  
Then, the ball came hurtling towards him. Miyagi evaded it just in time. It hit the gym doors, sending a loud echo across the whole area.  
  
"Hey! Watch it! What's wrong with you?"  
  
"Sorry! But I just wanted to show you this!" the guy said before his fist contacted with Miyagi's jaw. This guy sure had some punch. Miyagi's mind rattled a bit, his body falling to the floor because of the impact. Specks of blood flew to the floor and to his uniform. Miyagi felt the blood from a cut outside his mouth slowly make its way to his chin and he brushed it away with the back of his hand.  
  
"Well? Is that it? Are you afraid? Why don't you give me all you've got?" the guy taunted, kicking his sides once, hard.  
  
"I don't want to fight. Okay? Who are you anyway?" Miyagi asked, backing up a bit.  
  
"Hayashi. Hayashi Shouji."  
  
Shouji.Shouji.the name rang inside Miyagi's head. This was.but it couldn't be. Why would this psycho attack him like this?  
  
"Don't look so shocked!" Shouji laughed. It sounded like the devil's. Miyagi shuddered at that.  
  
"Hn. I thought you'd be more of a challenge. Guess I was wrong. Ja ne!" Shouji said, before walking away.  
  
Something inside Miyagi burned. He wanted to kick the hell out of that cheeky guy. He wanted to stuff Shouji's face with his fist. Standing up shakily, he glared at Shouji's back.  
  
"Baka-yaro," Miyagi cursed before charging towards Shouji. He raised his fist and.  
  
"Ryota! Yamette!" ***  
  
Miyagi's fist stopped in mid-air and he turned his head around to see Ayako at the door. Her face held a worried expression. When Miyagi turned towards Shouji, he was no longer inside the gym. He was gone.  
  
"Damn!" he cursed under his breath.  
  
When he raised his head, he found a pair of eyes staring intently at him. He almost melted right then and there.  
  
"A-Ayako.," Miyagi turned and headed for the benches.  
  
"You're hurt."  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
"You're bleeding," her voice came again.  
  
"I said it's nothing."  
  
"Why are you being so cold?"  
  
Miyagi stopped in his tracks. Then he continued walking.  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Yes, you are. And I see you've met Shouji. I'm sorry for-"  
  
Miyagi turned and interrupted Ayako.  
  
"Look, I'm tired okay. I just want to go home."  
  
She looked hurt at his words and he kicked himself mentally for it. That was a stupid thing to say.  
  
But he couldn't face her now. It was just too painful. Every time he looked at her or even thought of her, he was slapped with the cold truth that she didn't love him. She never will, because there was somebody else who owned her heart.and that somebody just kicked his ass.  
  
He grabbed his duffel bag and walked towards the door. Suddenly his head felt heavy and his eyesight darkened. The images swirled inside his mind.  
  
"What's happening?" he asked, before dropping cold on the Shohoku gym floor. ***  
  
Miyagi slowly opened his eyes, trying to focus on his surroundings.  
  
"The school clinic," he whispered to himself.  
  
"It's good that you're awake."  
  
He gradually turned his head to face her. She looked so tired, and her eyes were puffy, like she was just crying.  
  
Miyagi tried to get up and that caused a terrible pain to run up his side.  
  
"Itai!" he yelled out, grabbing a hold of his stomach.  
  
"You shouldn't move for a few more minutes. The medicine's just seeping in."  
  
He stared at her. Why was she doing this? Kami-sama, she was so beautiful. She had let down her hair and got rid of that hat. But either way, there would be no other girl as beautiful as her in Miyagi's eyes.  
  
"It's late, you shouldn't be here," he said, turning his face up to stare at the ceiling.  
  
She said nothing.  
  
Guilt washed over him.  
  
"Ayako, I'm sorry 'bout the things I said earlier. I knew you were just concerned and it was wrong of me to push that concern away."  
  
"No, it was okay. I understand perfectly."  
  
He knew she was lying because the hurt in her eyes was still there. She just didn't let it show.but he knew. He always knew.  
  
"I already called Akagi-sempai and Mitsui-sempai so that they could bring you home. And I-"  
  
Ayako let her gaze roam down to her hand. Miyagi had his around it. And when she looked at him, he was giving her a friendly smile.  
  
"Arigatou."  
  
She bit her lip so that she could prevent herself from crying. She wanted to tell him so many things but it seems that he didn't have the time for her anymore, not the kind of time she wanted. He was so cold just minutes ago, after she saw him with Shouji. What did Shouji tell him?  
  
Ayako pulled out her hand and stood up, walking towards the other side of the room.  
  
"So where's bruise boy?" Mitsui yelled out, entering the small clinic. Akagi was behind him.  
  
"Shut up! Can't you see I'm hurt here?"  
  
"What did you do this time?" Akagi asked, eyeing the injured point guard with beady eyes.  
  
"Nothing."  
  
Without saying anything else, Akagi and Mitsui carefully helped Miyagi up. Ayako walked silently behind them all the way.  
  
Miyagi's mom let them inside his room. Before Ayako left, she poked her head inside the room and looked at Miyagi.  
  
"Take care of yourself."  
  
He gave her a smile and she left.  
  
Miyagi sighed and closed his eyes, slumber finally reaching the veins in his system. ***  
  
Chapter 5  
  
A few weeks had passed. She hadn't talked to him or cheered him on, and he didn't bother coming near her. Almost everyone on the team noticed the tension between their point guard and their manageress. Even the often dense and carefree Sakuragi knew something wasn't right.  
  
Later, after practice ended, Anzai-sensei told Miyagi to stay for a talk. Miyagi complied even if he wasn't so sure what the talk was about. But he had his speculations. He had been playing miserably during the last few weeks and if that continued, he'd have to be taken out of the starting five and that would be a great loss to Shohoku.  
  
"Sit down Miyagi."  
  
"Hai."  
  
"I'm going to have to be honest with you. You've been disappointing both the team and I with your recent performances. What's wrong?"  
  
Miyagi stayed silent. He didn't want to talk about it. Knowing that Anzai- sensei was waiting for his answer, Miyagi gave a slight shrug.  
  
"Well? Is it something about a certain manageress?"  
  
Miyagi turned to look at the plump coach and he didn't have to say anything. Anzai-sensei understood everything through the eyes of Miyagi Ryota.  
  
"Why are you avoiding each other?"  
  
"I can't stand being near her."  
  
Anzai-sensei let out a puzzled expression.  
  
"Because every time I see her I just get hurt even more. She'll never love me. So what's the use? I might as well forget about her."  
  
"But during that process you're destroying yourself. You're not the Ryota I used to know. You can't force yourself to forget when you're not ready to."  
  
The words hit Miyagi like stray bullets. Either way, he was torturing himself. There was no way out of this. Damn it! Why did he have to love her? There were others but why her? Why Ayako when heaven knew that she would never return his feelings?  
  
"Take life as it is. Make the best of it. You never know what lies beyond today. That's the beauty of it all," Anzai-sensei said, laughing that laugh only he could let out.  
  
Then, becoming serious again, he placed a hand on Miyagi's shoulder and told the youth, "Let's go. Rest up, tomorrow's another day."  
  
'Tomorrow is another day,' Miyagi repeated in his mind. ***  
  
It was strange. The house was quiet.too quiet for comfort. He slowly placed his bag on the couch and when he saw the answering machine blinking, he pressed the button and listened in.  
  
A few buzzing noises came in and he could hear a lot of people talking in the background. The place where the call was made sure sounded busy and crowded.  
  
"Uhm, Ryota, are you there? Pick up, we have an emergency. Ryota, this is Mrs. Yamazaki. It's about your mom-"  
  
His ears came alive and a worried streak came over him. His mother had been saying that her headaches came more frequently these few days and they thought it was nothing, just a minor migraine.but.  
  
"We rushed her to the hospital. She collapsed during work. The doctor's taking care of her now-"  
  
Miyagi didn't finish the message. He rushed out of the house and ran all the way to the hospital. He called on to every muscle in his body to not let out. He needed to get there, she needed him. All the way, his mind filled with horrible thoughts and he shook his head violently to get rid of them.  
  
When he saw the white walls of the hospital, he gave out an exasperated sigh and flung the glass doors open. He searched the area for Mrs. Yamazaki or some other officemate of his mom's. When he finally found them, they were all huddled together in a corner couch. Their eyes were cast low and they were whispering. They stopped everything when they saw the haggard form of the young guy. Mrs. Yamazaki gave him a sympathetic smile.  
  
Miyagi-san came close and pulled him in for a hug. His father was never the hugging type so Ryota was pretty surprised.  
  
"What happened? Where's okaasan?!"  
  
The cold silence met him.  
  
"Tell me!"  
  
His father let go of him and looked at him directly and he felt the fear enter his body. His father held him by the shoulders and took in one deep breath before opening his mouth to speak.  
  
"Ryota, your mother.has.brain cancer." ***  
  
Everything he ever knew and everything he ever believed in came crashing down in that one sentence.  
  
"E-excuse m-me?" he stammered.  
  
But Miyagi-san's face was serious, too serious for comfort. He shook his head, gaining pace with each shake.  
  
'No.,' he mouthed because no words were coming out of his mouth. How could this have happened?  
  
Finally when everything slowly settled in, Miyagi walked to the doctor's side and held the doctor's shoulders rather tightly.  
  
"Can I see her?"  
  
"No young man. You have to wait. We're still-"  
  
"Damn it! First, you tell us that okaasan has some kind of stupid disease and then later on you tell me that I can't see her! She's my mother, I suppose you understand!" Miyagi exploded, sending everyone's eyes towards him.  
  
Miyagi-san started approaching his son but the latter held up his hand. His face was hard and enraged but inside he felt like crying. But he knew he had to be strong. It was for his mother. Everything was for her. He had to be strong for her because no one else will be.  
  
"I'm going to take a walk. I'll just come back later. When I finally sort things out," he said and before his father could react or respond, Miyagi was already out the door, clenching his fists hard to prevent himself from crying. ***  
  
He was walking in circles. He didn't know where to go. He had no one to tell.to talk to. Everything around him spun faster and faster with each turn.  
  
"Argh!!!" he yelled before plopping down on a park bench.  
  
He was thankful no one was around. They would have thought he escaped from the asylum. He looked really awful. His eyes had dark circles under them, his hair was a mess, well, more than usual anyway and he even limped while walking.  
  
"Well, well, well. What do we have here?!"  
  
That voice.he didn't need this right now.  
  
'Please just go away,' he pleaded silently.  
  
"Oh come on. Don't tell me that you've really lost your touch. You look like a sissy. Wimp!"  
  
He's had it. Miyagi jumped up and punched Shouji right in the face. Hayashi Shouji staggered back and came in contact with the hard ground. But he wasn't going to go down that easy.  
  
And within mere seconds, the two had created a large ball of dirt. With everything that Miyagi's been feeling, he gave out a great fight. Soon he had Shouji pinned to the ground and he punched him over and over.  
  
"I've had enough of you! Baka!"  
  
But Shouji wasn't even answering back, or even lifting a finger. Miyagi had punched him out cold.  
  
But the point guard didn't know how to stop anymore. He poured everything then and there.  
  
Suddenly he felt strong arms restraining him.  
  
"Ryochin that's enough. You're going to kill the guy!"  
  
Sakuragi Hanamichi had snapped him out of his insane rampage. Miyagi stared at everyone around him. The whole team was there.  
  
"Your father told us everything so we came looking for you. But we never expected to find you like this."  
  
It was Akagi. Mitsui, Rukawa and Kogure were also there. But someone was missing.  
  
"Does she know?"  
  
Everyone understood who the point guard meant and they shook their heads.  
  
"Don't tell her. She doesn't have to know. I don't want her to know. I don't want her to feel sorry for me."  
  
The team exchanged glances and shrugged.  
  
"That's enough. Mitsui, Kogure and Rukawa, come with me. Let's take this guy to the hospital. He needs a lot of work," Akagi said, motioning to Shouji's still body. They picked the poor guy up and carried him all the way to the hospital.  
  
"Ahem!"  
  
That was when Miyagi remembered that he wasn't alone just yet. Sakuragi Hanamichi was still there.  
  
Miyagi tried walking away from the freshman but Sakuragi had longer legs, making Miyagi's efforts useless. He was also in no mood for running so he just shrugged and didn't bother evading the redhead anymore. He slumped down on another park bench and closed his eyes.  
  
"Ne, Ryochin.what's gotten into you? This is not like you at all. You know that it's going to get better. Your mo-"  
  
"And what makes you think you know who I am and who I'm not?! And don't talk about okaasan! Leave me alone okay!"  
  
Sakuragi jumped at his friend's tone. Miyagi was rarely this way, either he was playful or cheeky but never enraged. Not like this anyway. Maybe Sakuragi did understand. He'd hate it if his mother were to.he knew the feeling all too well. He remembered how his father.  
  
Miyagi saw the sadness inside Sakuragi's eyes and he waved his hand at his teammate.  
  
"It's nothing Hanamichi, okay?"  
  
Sakuragi wasn't convinced.  
  
"Look, I'm just tired and I.I have a lot of things on my mind."  
  
"Are you sure you don't want Ayako to know about what happened? She can help. She's good at cheering you up."  
  
"She's just going to give me more things to think about. I don't have time for that. Okaasan needs me right now and I have to give her my full attention."  
  
"But-"  
  
"I said no!"  
  
Sakuragi shook his head. He knew that somehow, Miyagi's decision was the wrong one. He needed someone to hold him at a time like this and the only person who could do that for him was Ayako. ***  
  
That night, Miyagi lay awake on his bed, staring at the wide ceiling of his room. His hands were behind his head and his eyes were half-closed though not really lethargic. He couldn't sleep.  
  
Why did crappy things have to happen to him?! First, there was that thing with Ayako. Now, his mother was sick. He wondered how she was feeling right now. Was she in pain again? Or was she fast asleep, dreaming of better times?  
  
Wish he could do the same. ***  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Ayako ran the back of her right hand over her forehead and continued walking quickly, her heavy books securely fastened by her left arm. She stopped in front of her locker and dumped everything in, but not leaving until she made sure that everything was in place.  
  
After that, she ran straight for the gym.  
  
Just at about the same time, Miyagi exited the room next to the gym, his head hung low. Upon hearing the fast-approaching footsteps, he quickly raised his head. Then the footsteps stopped with a loud crash.  
  
He had collided with Ayako. They were both lying on the floor, disheveled and all. Miyagi stood up and steadied himself. Ayako did the same. Then the inevitable came. Miyagi's eyes leveled with Ayako's. At first his heart jumped but the feeling slowly subsided. It was replaced by sadness and anger. Well, just a little.  
  
Ayako wanted to talk to the point guard. She heard about his fist fight with Shouji. She couldn't believe how Miyagi pummeled him. She saw Shouji's broken face and his bruised body inside the hospital room.  
  
Shouji's parents asked him who was responsible and they wanted to sue the bastard that kicked their son's ass but Shouji had dismissed the idea. He said it was his fault in the first place.  
  
Ayako couldn't believe it at first. Mitsui sempai had told her that Miyagi was responsible for the state Shouji was in but he didn't tell her how the fight started. Now, she was facing the source of the problem but she couldn't even bring up a word to ask. She got tongue-tied. She was blaming herself.  
  
Miyagi turned and left Ayako standing there. He pushed the gym doors open and slammed them shut behind him. But even how much he wanted to, he couldn't stay mad at her forever.  
  
'You shouldn't be thinking about this.about her,' he scolded himself.  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
Miyagi faced Anzai-sensei with a questioning look.  
  
"We've got practice, don't we?"  
  
"I mean, with your mother.I'm sorry Ryota."  
  
"Don't worry about it. Okaasan's a strong woman. She'll get through it."  
  
"But will you?"  
  
Miyagi laughed Anzai-sensei off. Of course he could. He would. He had to. He wanted to drop his façade. He wanted to vent out his sadness and his anger but he didn't want to do it here. No one would understand. He had to go through this alone. ***  
  
"You can go home now. It's almost 8 o'clock."  
  
"It's okay otoosan. I can stay with okaasan for a while longer."  
  
"Ryota, you need your rest. You look really tired. We've got enough to worry about. We don't need you to be sick too. Please, I can stay with your mother. Go home, rest up. Tomorrow, the doctors will tell us their decision."  
  
Miyagi just nodded and kissed his mother on the forehead. He quietly exited the room. Closing the door, he leaned on it for a while, sighing loudly. He gathered enough strength just to keep his tears from appearing. Crying was way uncool for a basketball star, especially since he was in a public place.  
  
When he was walking towards the exit, something caught his eye. It was Ayako. She couldn't see him here. Why was she here anyway? Then that's when he remembered. That Shouji guy was here too. He watched her as she kissed Shouji on the cheeks and left the room. Somehow, he wished that he was the one on that bed.  
  
Losing all reason, he entered Shouji's room and looked at the guy's swollen face. Shouji realized he was there and tried his best to give out a smile. Miyagi was pretty shocked at his welcome. How can he even smile at the person who did this to him?  
  
"How are you?" Miyagi managed to ask.  
  
Shouji just raised his eyebrow and tried to laugh but ended up coughing.  
  
"I'm sorry. I don't know what got into me. I guess I was pissed."  
  
"I-it's o-okay. I-I should b-be t-the one to s-say sor-ry."  
  
"But I shouldn't have."  
  
Just then the nurse entered the room and told Miyagi that visiting hours were over. Miyagi just gave Shouji a pat before leaving. He closed the doors behind him, thinking that maybe it was wrong of him to have gotten mad so quickly. ***  
  
Ayako followed Miyagi's every move with her eyes. Every now and then, she'd steal a glance at him while he was doing lay-ups or laughing with the team. She would smile but she couldn't get any sadder.  
  
There was something he wasn't telling her. She knew it. But why would he tell her anything? Who was she to him? Before, at least she knew.now, it was like a mystery that she couldn't solve.a puzzle with all the missing pieces.  
  
He was driving her totally insane and she hated it. ***  
  
Miyagi felt the hot sensation of someone looking at him and he didn't have to turn around to know who it was. He had to kick himself mentally just so he couldn't look back, even though every part of him wanted to. He missed her eyes. They were so beautiful, just like rare jewels in the morning sun. He missed her laugh too. Heck! He missed her period.  
  
"Ryo-chin! How's you're-"  
  
Mitsui slapped his hand over Sakuragi's very big mouth and Miyagi pinched him at the sides. Sakuragi's eyes widened and finally he remembered that Ayako was still there and Miyagi didn't want her to know anything about his mother.  
  
Miyagi turned and Ayako's eyes cornered him. She was asking.'What's going on? Why? What are you hiding?' Miyagi avoided her. He turned his back to the manageress and went inside the shower room. Maybe a nice hot shower would get him relaxed. ***  
  
"You seem distressed."  
  
"What?" Ayako turned her head and faced Shouji.  
  
He was back to his old talkative self but the doctors wanted to make sure that he was going to be alright. In a few more days, he was free again. He hated hospitals, but having Ayako visit him everyday made everything worthwhile, even the pain he was feeling right now.  
  
"I said you seem distressed."  
  
"No, it's nothing really."  
  
"It's about the basketball player, isn't it? I can see it in your eyes. You do love him. That look's familiar, once I saw that for me too."  
  
"Shouji."  
  
"Sshhh.you don't have to say anything. Not to me anyway. Tell him. He needs to know. You need to let it out."  
  
"So now you've become some love doctor?!" Ayako said sarcastically.  
  
Shouji stayed silent, giving Ayako a knowing look.  
  
"Don't do that.it's just that.he doesn't feel the same way anymore. I can't.I'll die if I hear it from him. If I don't tell him anything, then I won't have to face the rejection. I'm happy just loving him."  
  
"No, you're not."  
  
"Don't give me that Hayashi Shouji."  
  
But it was true. And she knew it.  
  
"Don't give up on something so wonderful Aya-chan. Trust me. It's something I know really well by now."  
  
It felt strange to hear her nickname from somebody else other than Miyagi for a long time. It was always Miyagi who called her that. She missed the way his cheeks would blush when he called her or how his eyes would glint every time he gave her his smile. Then there was that damn earring. It did wonders to her mind. He looked really cute with it on. Somewhat dangerous but sweet.  
  
She faced him once again, receiving that smile she once loved.  
  
"Arigatou.Shouji-kun. For everything.," she said before leaving the room and her past behind. ***  
  
Chapter 7  
  
It was a bright sunny day and Ayako felt this day was going to be a lot better than the ones she'd been having. She's finally decided to confront everything she'd been dreading, especially Miyagi.  
  
She almost skipped towards the gym. She would've too if it weren't for the bag she was carrying. It was heavier than her giant textbooks.  
  
Suddenly, she heard muffling sounds coming from the boys' locker room. Partly concerned and totally curious, Ayako let her ears do the work. She listened in even though she knew it was rude. After all, the Shohoku team was practically her second family. She had the right to know about their problems or concerns.  
  
"Yes. Probably this summer."  
  
Ayako sharpened her hearing. That was Miyagi's voice. ***  
  
"Don't worry Gori. I can fill in for Ryochin! Hahaha! Shohoku's wins were because of me. We don't really need shorty here!"  
  
A loud crash echoed inside the locker room as Akagi's fist collided with Sakuragi's head, giving the self-proclaimed tensai a gigantic pink bump on his red head.  
  
"What'd you do that for?! No fair! You always pick on me!"  
  
"Do aho."  
  
"What did you say kitsune! Baka! You can't stand against the tensai!"  
  
"You mean airhead."  
  
"STOP IT! Miyagi's having the biggest crisis of his life and here you are fighting. Mitsui, you should know better than to join in their childishness," Akagi lectured, his nostrils almost spurting out steam.  
  
"Don't worry guys.maybe Anzai-sensei can find someone to replace me," Miyagi said, interrupting the chaos Sakuragi started.  
  
"We understand but.you can't leave things the way they are. You have to explain it to her."  
  
Miyagi winced, knowing all too well who her was.  
  
"I know. But I can't do it right now. So much has happened."  
  
"Hey guys.what are you talking about?" ***  
  
Miyagi froze.  
  
Ayako had entered the locker room. She knew they were also talking about her and she wasn't going to just stand outside and wait for nothing. If they needed to tell her something, they had to tell her now.  
  
"So.you had something to tell me sempai?" she asked, facing a very rigid Akagi. He looked at her with guilt and worry but he didn't say anything.  
  
"Well?"  
  
Miyagi brushed past her, exiting the suddenly suffocating locker room. He broke into a steady run, escaping everything.at least for the time being.  
  
"What was with him? Please, sempai.tell me what's happening."  
  
"We don't have the right to tell. You have to ask Miyagi yourself."  
  
"He won't even talk to me."  
  
"Give him time," Anzai-sensei said, noticing the tension running through everyone. He gave Ayako a smile and called Akagi for a talk.  
  
Ayako sighed and exited the locker room. Practices resumed that day, as if nothing happened.only that Miyagi was missing. ***  
  
"Ryo-kun."  
  
"Okaasan, you shouldn't be talking too much. Don't worry. I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."  
  
"Ryota, is something w-wrong?" Mrs. Miyagi asked, coughing a little.  
  
"Why do you ask? Nope! Nothing's wrong. Everything is great. Really."  
  
Mrs. Miyagi gave her son a skeptical look before brushing the topic off of her mind. Miyagi took her hand and gently rubbed his thumbs to make his mother relax. And as always, it worked.  
  
Miyagi had been thinking a lot since yesterday. His father told him that they had to leave Japan. He didn't really have to come, but he wanted to be with his mother. They had to go to the United States of America to get her treated. That was their only hope of her survival. He had to leave everything and everyone- Shohoku, his teammates, his studies, his friends.Ayako.He hated thinking about her. It made everything harder to cope.  
  
America would make him forget. There, he would be able to make a new life. A life where Ayako wasn't a part.but that didn't sound too wonderful either. He needed her like air.she gave her life and now, it's like life is being cut off. What was holding him back? The pain.his pride. He wanted to believe that she was the one who made everything wrong in his life but he couldn't blame her for something that she didn't do.  
  
He didn't know why it hurt so much when he saw her with that Shouji guy. He didn't even give her the chance to choose. He made her decision for her when he walked away. Maybe it was his fault. He left her with no choice when he left her that one night.  
  
But that wasn't all he had to think about. What about his mother? He knew that even though she didn't ask for it, she wanted him to be there with her always. He saw it in her eyes. She was afraid and he was the one who was going to be brave for her. But it doesn't mean that he wasn't scared himself. In fact he was terrified but she didn't have to know that. She had enough to deal with already.  
  
Why was it so hard to live?! ***  
  
Ayako rang the doorbell for the fourth time and still no one was answering. She had mustered up all of her courage and walked all the way to Miyagi's house. Was she going to regret this? Maybe he saw her coming and locked the doors and went to sleep. After all, she knew that he didn't want to see her. But couldn't he see? She loved him and not Shouji.  
  
Just as she was about to give up, footsteps cut through the silence of the night and Ayako's hope flickered alive.  
  
"Ayako-san."  
  
There was sadness in his eyes. He looked tired, like life was descending upon him. She wanted to reach out but she held herself back, afraid of what he might say or do.  
  
"What are you doing here? It's almost ten in the evening."  
  
"I came to see you actually. I.I wanted to tell you something."  
  
"It's late."  
  
"I won't be long. I promise."  
  
He wanted to hold her. Feel her embrace. Tell her everything, that he still loved her.but he.he didn't really know what was holding him back.  
  
When Miyagi stayed silent, Ayako took that as her cue to speak.  
  
"I know things haven't been the same for us. And I just.I wanted to say that.I.I guess.I miss you, Ryota."  
  
There, she said it, but why did she feel like things weren't going to get any better? She felt like an idiot.  
  
He looked at her. Was he going crazy or was he hallucinating? That couldn't have been right. She missed him.  
  
Miyagi reached out and held Ayako close.closer than he ever did.and said his goodbye.this was his only chance.  
  
"It just wasn't meant to be."  
  
At first, his touch had given her a little bit of hope but now it seemed as if he was burning her. Ayako's tears caught in her throat. Why was he saying this? He could have at least tried to work things out.  
  
"So I guess I'll go now. Good night," Ayako blurted out and ran before Miyagi could even see how heartbroken she was.  
  
He couldn't enter her life again.considering that he had to go away anyway. He couldn't leave her like that. He had to choose. God, he wanted to rush out and take her hand and kiss her. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. He saw her retreating back fade into the darkness and all he could do was stand there. He was such a loser. ***  
  
She felt like crying. He could've hit her or yelled at her but he didn't. He just refused to even try and love her again and that hurt more. He didn't love her anymore, just like a slap to the face.  
  
Slowly, the tears came flowing down. She wiped them away but more came. She couldn't stop. She bit her lip to silence her sobs. She felt like life was going over again. It felt so real and the pain was more than she could handle. But Ayako was strong. She could go through this. Who was Miyagi Ryota anyway? He was just a guy.a guy that she loved so much. ***  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Sakuragi bit his lower lip and scratched his infamous red head. His eyes darted back and forth from Miyagi and then to Ayako. If he didn't do or say something, he'd go out of his mind. He had been known to be a loudmouth and being silent about things made him squirm at every chance possible.  
  
He hated seeing his friends this way. People would think that he was just an overgrown wild guy but he had feelings too. And now his feelings were telling him that being secretive wasn't the way to go about Miyagi's problems. He needed the one person he loved besides his family to be with him now. She was her only hope of sanity and comfort but he was pushing that away.  
  
"Baka.," the self-proclaimed tensai murmured.  
  
Miyagi held the ball and then when he was about to pass it to Mitsui, he saw Anzai-sensei at the gym door. The old man looked haggard and a sad look was in his usually happy eyes.  
  
The Shohoku coach took off his glasses and called for a 30-minute break. He called Miyagi and they stood talking in one corner of the court.  
  
Not later than a minute, a loud echo could be heard of a basketball hitting the wooden floorboards of the Shohoku gym. Miyagi had dropped the ball he was holding, his face pale and his eyes wide-open. From a distance, Ayako watched intently. Her worry grew as Miyagi started shaking uncontrollably. Mitsui and Akagi rushed towards their friend and escorted him out of the gym. Sakuragi later followed, Kogure in tow. Rukawa stared from his position. He didn't know everything but he's had little information regarding the point guard and his family dilemma. Even a streak of worry could be seen across his face.  
  
Anzai-sensei, who was left, urged the other players to not worry and continue on their practice but Ayako wasn't going to take this sitting down. She had to know. Shohoku was like her family. She needed to know.she wanted to. ***  
  
"What is it?!" Sakuragi yelled over so that his voice could be heard over the growing commotion outside the Shohoku boys' locker room.  
  
"I'm sure it's something about Miyagi's mo-"  
  
"Ryota's what?"  
  
Sakuragi, Akagi, Mitsui and Kogure literally stiffened at Ayako's voice.  
  
"Damn!" Mitsui cursed under his breath.  
  
"Well? C'mon you guys. You've kept this from me long enough. I have to know. I'm his friend too," Ayako argued.  
  
'And that's all I'll ever be," she said to herself.  
  
Sakuragi's mouth quivered. It practically itched, he wanted to tell.now. He wanted so badly to tell Ayako everything but he was sure that Miyagi or one of these guys would pummel him.  
  
What the heck! Akagi always hits his head, Mitsui was nothing compared to him, Kogure was well.um.and he's had a fight with Miyagi before. He was tough and he would handle the consequences. He hated seeing Ayako with that confused and left-out look on her face.  
  
With a stomp, Sakuragi yelled out, "His mother is dying!!!"  
  
Kogure's eyes grew large. Mitsui instinctively clapped his hand over bigmouth's lips, although he was too late. Akagi placed one of his large fists over Sakuragi's head, a lump forming instantaneously.  
  
"Ite!" the tall freshman yelled.  
  
Ayako stepped back from the impact of the news. She let the news sink in. She started shaking her head. She didn't know Miyagi's mother well but she knew how it was to have someone you love go through something like this.  
  
"How? Why? For how long?" she started asking each player present there but they stayed silent, busy with keeping Sakuragi hushed. Sakuragi struggled but with three seniors holding him, he soon gave up the fight.  
  
Akagi then faced Ayako and held her shoulders gently.  
  
"Ayako, maybe Sakuragi was right. I guess you're the only one who can help him now. He needs you. He considers you as someone very special. He'll listen to you."  
  
"I don't know."  
  
The doorknob turned and Anzai-sensei came out. He was generally shocked that Ayako was there but somehow he knew she would be. He gave her a nod, asking her to go in.  
  
Ayako breathed in and placed her shaking hand on the doorknob, turning it slowly, opening the door. This was probably the hardest thing she's ever had to deal with. With one last look at the team, she entered the locker room. ***  
  
"Ryota."  
  
"Leave. I need to be alone."  
  
"But-"  
  
"I SAID LEAVE!"  
  
Ayako almost turned around and ran but she didn't. She stood there, a determined look on her face.  
  
"I came here.as a friend. Your friend."  
  
She winced at her own words. She never knew the word "friend" could hurt so much. Miyagi's shoulders slumped down. He turned his face towards her.  
  
"I know about-"  
  
"I asked them not to tell you! Some friends they are!"  
  
Ayako sat down besides the sullen point guard and leaned her head against his shoulder. He stiffened a little but he stayed quiet. He preferred not to move.  
  
"We'll go through this together. You, me, the team. We are here for you and you know that. Stop running away from us. We care for you so much."  
  
"What good will that do? You can't change the way things are."  
  
Miyagi stood up. Then he faced the only girl he ever really loved.  
  
"I don't want to lose her. Anzai-sensei told me that.that my mother had another headache attack just this morning. And where was I? I was in school. I wasn't there for her. They had to take her to the emergency room," Miyagi broke down, letting his tears fall freely.  
  
Ayako walked towards Miyagi and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her, crying like a baby. Ayako felt her own tears fall. He didn't deserve this.to hurt so much.  
  
"She will get through this.just because.because you love her so much." ***  
  
That night, the Miyagi family gathered themselves inside Mrs. Miyagi's room, waiting for the doctor to start talking.  
  
"I know a doctor in America who's an expert in this kind of disease. He can help. But you'll have to stay there for probably a year. Two at most. You have to understand that Mrs. Miyagi is suffering from a very complicated kind of cancer. She might not make it. This is the risk factor here. But if you're willing to take the risk, then you should get going before it gets too critical to cure. The latest possible time to go there would be next week. You must use your time carefully because there isn't much of it."  
  
Everything the doctor said drilled through Miyagi and he felt like killing the doctor. He wanted to wrap his hands around the old man and strangle him to death but he knew everything the doctor said was true.  
  
"Then we'll go this Sunday."  
  
Miyagi looked at his father. Sunday? That was three days from now. So soon.too soon. ***  
  
"Sunday?!"  
  
The nod confirmed everything.  
  
Mitsui couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
  
Sakuragi was for once, speechless.  
  
Akagi's features were melancholic.  
  
Kogure took off his glasses, looking down.  
  
Anzai-sensei's eyes clearly told his feelings for him.  
  
Rukawa, although didn't give any comments, was partly shocked from the news. Miyagi was leaving Shohoku on Sunday. Only two days more and he would be gone.  
  
Oblivious to them was a girl, standing outside the room, her back to the wall, crying silently. ***  
  
Miyagi had stayed inside the Shohoku gym after everyone went home. He wanted to think. Here he was alone, no one would really bother him.  
  
"That's so unfair."  
  
Miyagi turned around. His heart broke the moment he saw Ayako. Her eyes were red and swollen, it was obvious that she had been crying.  
  
"You kept something this big from me. And you were planning on leaving without even telling me, leaving me to realize everything only after you're gone. I'm glad I found out before you disappear like you never even existed. Like I said, that's so unfair."  
  
"Aya-chan."  
  
"Don't call me that. I hate it. I hate you. You probably think that you're all that because you made me cry. Well, guess what? I'm going to go on with my life like you never even existed. That's what you want, isn't it?"  
  
"Please, let me explain.I-"  
  
"Stop it! Just stop it! If you don't love me enough to trust me, at least treat me as a friend. I had the right to know that you were leaving. But you never even cared enough to inform me of that."  
  
Ayako turned around, almost rushing out of the gym.  
  
Miyagi quickly ran to catch up with Ayako. He took a hold of Ayako's arm and didn't permit himself to let go. Ayako tried her best to escape his touch but she couldn't. He had held her firmly and finally they stopped moving around. Ayako flipped around and raised her hand.  
  
WHACK!!!  
  
Miyagi's head flung to the side. But his hand stayed firm. He wouldn't let her go until she listened to what he had to say.  
  
"You wanted me to tell you everything and now when I'm ready to, you're refusing to listen. What is it with you?"  
  
"Don't you think it's a little too late for explanations Miyagi Ryota?!"  
  
"Ayako, please. Nothing's going to change. Whether I'm here or someplace else, I'm still going to love you. That's the only thing that's kept me going through this damned life of mine."  
  
Shock and disbelief ran through Ayako's veins. He was playing with her.  
  
"You're getting old for your games! Love isn't something to toy with. And I'm not going to put up with your immaturity and selfishness. So you can just leave, to hell with you! I don't really care."  
  
But before Ayako could say another word, Miyagi pulled her in and kissed her. It was long, sweet and everything that she had ever wished for. Ayako lost all reason and kissed Miyagi back.  
  
Then they both pulled back, a sudden blush tinting both their cheeks.  
  
"In as much as I don't want to leave you or lose you, I have no choice. God knows I breathe and live for the moment when finally, you and I can be together. Before it was just a dream, and somehow I always found hope beside me. But that hope was shattered one night. And now this. You don't know how much I hurt every time I see you and feel that I can be with you only in my dreams. I can't make you wait for me. I can't ask that much of you but knowing that.it feels like dying."  
  
Ayako started crying again. She's never cried this much for anything before.  
  
"Why are you saying this? This isn't going to change anything. You'll still be leaving and I'm going to forget you. I'm going to live every day like I never knew you. I'm going to."  
  
She fell into his arms, never wanting to let go.  
  
"Aishiteru Aya-chan." ***  
  
Ayako avoided Miyagi all throughout Saturday morning. She told herself that it would be easier to see him go if she didn't spend so much time with him but she knew either way, she would still miss him so much.  
  
He stole a few glances at her but he never caught her eye. He knew that she was avoiding him and he was partly thankful. But the memory of that kiss was enough to drive him crazy. He had to constantly remind himself that he was doing this for his family, especially his mother.  
  
In the afternoon, the team had gathered inside the Miyagi household to say goodbye to their point guard. Everyone was sad but they didn't want Miyagi to feel it. And everyone was there except for their manageress.  
  
Ayako had turned down Sakuragi's invitation. ***  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Miyagi tossed and turned in his bed. He let his eyes rest on his bags, which were set in a corner of his room. Tomorrow would be the day. Would he ever come back to Japan? Could he?  
  
After a few more failed attempts at sleeping, he finally decided to just get out of bed and head over to the family room. Miyagi tried to remember every detail of the house he grew up in. His fingers felt the grooves of one of the doorposts near the kitchen where the name "Ryota" was unevenly carved. He laughed at the memory of how his mother got so mad when she saw what he had done.  
  
This place held so many things, so many memories.how was he ever going to get used to America when his heart would be here? ***  
  
Miyagi scanned the airport and let out a heavy sigh.  
  
"I don't think she's coming Ryochin."  
  
Miyagi stared up at Sakuragi and saw in the eyes of the freshman, his hope slowly flickering away and die.  
  
"Ne, that's okay Ryota! I'm sure she misses you already.," Mitsui piped in.  
  
"Yeah.," Miyagi replied, his voice fading with the wind.  
  
"All passengers bound for San Francisco, California, American Airlines Flight number 206, now boarding at gate 3."  
  
"Well guys, that's me."  
  
"Take care out there okay," Akagi said before giving Miyagi a light pat on the back. The senior would surely miss his friend.  
  
"Nyahahaha! Beware of the girls there, there're a lot of pretty ones!"  
  
Yeah.but not one like Ayako.  
  
"Ja ne Ryota!"  
  
"Sayonara!"  
  
"Visit us if you can okay?"  
  
Then everyone laughed.  
  
"Ja!" Miyagi called out before picking up his bags and heading for gate number 3. This is it! Hope was quietly tugging at him, Miyagi turned and put down his bags. Akagi, Mitsui, Hanamichi, Kogure, Rukawa, Anzai- sensei and the rest of the Shohoku team waved to him.but the one person he wanted to see before he left wasn't there.maybe Hanamichi was right. With one last smile, Miyagi waved at his second family and went on to board his plane to a new world. ***  
  
Ayako rushed out of the taxi and almost tripped over a man's suitcase. She frantically looked at her watch and cursed inwardly.  
  
Why did she have to be late?!  
  
She pushed the doors to the airport and scanned every face she saw.but to no avail. No Ryota. She felt like crying but she stopped herself.  
  
Then she saw a bright red and knew right away that it was Sakuragi's head. But when she reached the team, they were all on their way out the exit.  
  
She was too late.  
  
She never even had the chance to say goodbye.  
  
Ayako walked over to the glass window of the airport, staring at the airplane that had just taken off.  
  
"Let's go Ayako.one day.he'll come back.for you."  
  
Ayako turned around and saw the sincere look in Rukawa's eyes. This was the first time he's ever talked to her using that much words.  
  
"Arigatou Rukawa."  
  
The tall freshman left Ayako to think some more but waited for her near the exit. Ayako faced the window once more and touched the cool, smooth surface of the glass.  
  
"Hai.I'll wait for you.Aishiteru Ryota."  
  
And with that, Ayako left the airport with the team. She was going to wait for him because finally, in him, she found love. ***  
  
Epilogue  
  
2 years into the future.  
  
"Don't you think this looks really good on me, ne, Aya?"  
  
Ayako eyed the red dress her friend had on. And then she wrinkled her nose. She never really liked bright dresses.  
  
"Yare yare. I'm going to find another one," her friend said, leaving Ayako alone. Ayako then watched her friend get lost in a maze of brightly colored tops.  
  
Ayako sauntered over to the jewelry section of the shop and let her eyes ogle the earring display. She picked up one that was vaguely familiar.something that a certain point guard used to wear.  
  
Ayako let out a laugh.  
  
"After all these years, you still haven't forgotten him. Have you Ayako?" she asked herself, knowing what the answer was but never really doubting it.  
  
She was placing the earring back on the display when Ayako lost her balance and her bag flew out of her hands.  
  
"Kuso.I'm so unlucky today," she cursed, bending down to pick her bag up.  
  
"I wouldn't say that."  
  
Ayako turned around and slowly the figure before her came to life. Her hand flew up to her mouth and she almost staggered backwards. The tears that were resting for two years flowed out and she couldn't believe what she was seeing.  
  
"Ryota.," she whispered, letting her hand travel his face.  
  
"It really is you."  
  
He smiled and held her in his arms in an almost frantic embrace.  
  
"I missed you so much."  
  
"I'm here now."  
  
And then their lips met. It was a kiss that waited to happen for two long years. And now, as destiny permitted, it finally did.  
  
"I waited for you."  
  
Miyagi looked into Ayako's eyes and said, "Me too. I waited for so long."  
  
Miyagi almost laughed at Ayako's questioning eyes.  
  
"For what?" she asked.  
  
"I was waiting.to be loved by you."  
  
***  
  
~the end~  
  
  
  
Sorry for posting it like this. You see, it had been perfect, all ten chapters of it. But ff.net just had to ban me. So I had to do it all over again, well, since I was lazy and didn't want to load 10 chapters back on my super slow laptop, I condensed ten chapters into one big one. So this is what came about. I hope you enjoyed the story! 


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